In a landmark order passed by Bombay High Court on Wednesday, December 4, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was directed to implement 3% quota for the disabled in the Indian Administrative Services. The order was passed by the Bombay High Court bench consisting of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by National Confederation for Development of the Disabled.

Section 33 of Persons With Disabilities Act 1996 has provision for 3% reservation in IAS for disabled persons but somehow this has not been implemented for a long time, which was brought to the notice of the court by senior counsel Mahesh Jethmalani who appeared for the petitioners. It was also submitted to the court that the Supreme Court in October clearly interpreted that the section 33 of the Act was applicable on direct recruitment and promotions as well. The senior counsel also reproduced a judgment passed by the Supreme Court in 2010 in case of Ravi Prakash Gupta, which was relied upon by the High Court.